The Rams will host Rovers over the weekend of January 26/27, meaning their Championship fixture away to Hull will have to be rearranged, after overcoming League One leaders Tranmere 5-0 at Pride Park on Saturday.

Derby drew 1-1 at home to Blackburn in the league in October and Clough is expecting another tough game.

He told the club's official website: "Blackburn, despite deciding to part company with manager Henning Berg at the end of last month, have been on a good run in the last few weeks and strung a few wins together.

"They proved when they came to Pride Park in October that they have some good players and it will be a difficult tie for us, but our form at home has been excellent this season and that will give us a great deal of confidence.

"It is a game to look forward to but in the meantime, we have got two important fixtures against Brighton and Nottingham Forest to play before we think too much about Blackburn."

Readers' Comments

I

t's wrong to be making a joke out of Bender's name at the expense of gay people. It's the kind of childish, uncivilised thing that Football365 would deride and ridicule if it was another media outlet saying. Why is there a need for jokes like this? Does it make your writers feel like men? F365 might suggest that I 'lighten up', but it is genuinely traumatic for people who have been oppressed all their lives to be the butt of jokes, and to be told...

ou can't blame De Gea for wanting to leave, he has enough to do in front of goal as it is as well as taking on the role of Man Utd's version of Derek Acorah in trying to contact and organise a defence that isn't there.